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Down

gaa oral history project

Down was the first county from Northern Ireland to win an All-Ireland football final. The victory over Kerry in 1960 marked the culmination of a project that began in the 1950s. Down retained the title in 1961 and claimed their third title in 1968. These All-Ireland victories were accompanied by twelve Ulster final appearances in a row between 1958 and 1969, with the Mournemen lifting the cup on seven occasions. Although the GAA in Down was not as deeply damaged by the Troubles as it was in other counties, tensions still existed. A fractious relationship between the security forces and many members of the GAA had a lasting effect. 1991 saw the return of the Sam Maguire to Down, a victory which was followed three years later with the defeat of Dublin in the 1994 All-Ireland final. Although Down has enjoyed modest success in hurling – it has four Ulster senior titles to its name – the county remains primarily identified with Gaelic football. Recent growth in the local club scene has seen success at Under-21 level in both hurling and football and this growth was rewarded with an All-Ireland senior football final appearance in 2010.